Box-fastener



H. R. HOLBROOK.

.BQX FASTENER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1920.

1,369,659. Patented Feb. 22,1921.

' \NvEmoR n1 may UNITED STES HARRY R. EOLBBOOK, OF ATTLEBORO, MASSAGHUSETTS..

BOX-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

Application filed February 26, 1920. Serial No. 361,405.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY R. HOLBROOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Attleboro, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fasteners adapted for permanent insertion into the walls of a box and provided with a flexible portion adapted for temporary clamping engagement with a box cover to insure a firm and complete closure for mailing or otherwise.

The essential objects of my invention are inexpensiveness, speed, and avoidance of waste material in construction; adaptability of the fastener to automatic insertion into the box; and security of engagement therewith whereby accidental withdrawal or lateral displacement of the fastener body is avoided.

To the above ends essentially my invention consists in such parts and in such combinations of parts as fall withinthe scope of the appended claim.

the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification,

Figure 1, is a plan view of a metal strip and the original blank severed therefrom,

Figs. 2, 3, and 4., rear, front, and side elevations respectively of the complete fastener before the prongs are clamped,

Fig. 5, a transverse section of a box provide with my fastener before the tongue is bent, and

Fig. 6, a central longitudinal section of the box equipped with my fasteners and engaging a cover by the tongues thereof.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the views. 7

In constructing the fastener a strip 8 of thin flexible metal is by a suitable cutting tool severed into blanks 9 of the form shown in Fig. 1, comprising a substantially rectangular body 10 provided with an open arched recess 11 centrally of the lower margin, and a projection or tongue 12 of similar contour and dimensions centrally of the upper end of the blank. Vertical angular projections 13 at each side of the tongue, and of less height, are continuous with the lateral margins of the blank, while the lower portlon of the blank is beveled or inclined from the lateral margins to the recess as at,

14 forming therewith resultant angular projections 15.

It will be observed that by this shape of blank the recess 11 and the projections 15 formed on the strip 8 byvcutting the tongue 12 andprojections 13 of one blank, constitute a portion of the next successive blank to be severed from the strip. Furthermore the width of each blank is the width of the parent strip 8. For the enumerated rea sons there is no waste of material involved, and a minimum of cutting is required, thus reducing expense to a minlmum.

By suitable bending tools the blank 9 is changed to the form shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, wherein the projections 13 and 15 are bent horizontally rearwardly to form prongs.

In this instance is shown an open paper or cardboard mailing box comprising a floor 17 end-walls 18, and side walls 19, on which rests the cover 20 and flange 21. The cover has the usual marginal slits 22. In Figs. 5 and 6 are shown the fastener applied to the box. The prongs 13 overlap the upper edges of the walls 18 and are bent downwardly thereover and into engagement with the inner faces of the wall. The prongs 15 are forced inwardly through the walls and have their extremities upwardly bent to embrace the inner faces of the walls.

The flexible tongue 12 pass through the slits 22 and are manually folded down upon the cover 20.

It will be noted that by reason of the location of prongs at each side of the base of the tongue 12 they are enabled to be clenched over the edges of the box wall rather than be forced through the wall. In the latter case the wall would be weakened at points of great strain. The location of the prongsat both the upper and lower extremities as well as at the lateral ends thereof distributes the' strain of the fastener over a maximum area of the box and lessens accidental detachment of the fastener through any lateral strain upon the tongue 12.

I claim As a new article of manufacture, a blank mensions as the recess, and vertical angular projections upon the top of the body at both sides of the tongue. 10

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

HARRY R. HOLBROOK. 

